U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
For the
Birds
Among the fondest and
most memorable
moments of childhood
are the discoveries of
songbirds nesting in
the backyard. The
distinctive, mud-lined
nests of robins and
their beautiful blue
eggs captivate people of
all ages. Likewise, the
nesting activities of
house wrens, cardinals,
chickadees and other
common birds can
stimulate a lifelong
interest in nature.
3
Introduction
As you learn to enjoy the beauty of
birdlife around their home, you may
wish to improve the “habitat” in your
yard so that more birds will visit
your property. You can attract birds
by placing bird feeders, nest boxes,
and bird baths in your yard, and by
planting a variety of trees, shrubs,
and flowers. These can provide good
nesting sites, winter shelter, places
to hide from predators and natural
food supplies that are available
year-round.
Backyard bird feeding is a
convenient way to enjoy wildlife.
More than 65 million Americans of
all ages watch, feed and landscape
for birds.
It doesn’t matter where you live—in
an apartment, townhouse or single
family dwelling, in the city, suburbs
or country. Just stand still and you’ll
hear them: wild birds. It is hard to
imagine life without them.
Bird watching is one of the fastest
growing forms of outdoor recreation
in the country. Each year millions of
people discover for the first time the
joys of birdwatching. It’s easy to
understand why. Birds are fun to
watch.
And you can watch them just about
everywhere. The most convenient
place to start is right in your own
backyard. All it takes to get
their attention is food or water,
a place to build a nest and
appropriate
vegetation.
photo:
Hollingsworth/USFWS
Backyard Bird Feeding
When you want to attract a particular
bird species and keep it coming back
to your backyard, what you do will
be determined by where you live,
and the time of year. For example,
on any winter day, you are likely to
see a cardinal at a sunflower feeder
in Virginia, a goldfinch at a thistle
feeder in Illinois and hummingbirds
at a nectar feeder in southern
California.
A bird field guide has pictures of
different birds and will help you find
the names for the birds you’re likely
to see and the time of year you’re
most likely to see them. So, first
determine what birds are likely to
occur in your area.
4
Getting Started
Feeder Selection
When the ground is covered with
snow and ice, it’s hard to resist
just tossing seed out the door.
But it’s healthier for the birds to
get their handouts at a feeding
station, rather than off the ground.
Regardless of the season, food that
sits on the ground for even a short
time is exposed to contamination
by dampness, mold, bacteria,
animal droppings, lawn fertilizers
and pesticides.
You can start simply with a piece of
scrap wood elevated a few inches
above the ground. Add a few holes for
drainage and you’ve built a platform
feeder. It won’t be long before the
birds find it.
There are several factors to consider
after you’ve decided to feed birds in
your backyard.
5
6
Where do you want to watch your
birds? From a kitchen window. . . a
sliding glass door opening onto a
deck. . . a second-story window?
Pick a location that is easy to get to.
When the weather is bad and birds
are most vulnerable, you may be
reluctant to fill a feeder that is not in
a convenient spot near a door or an
accessible window. Also, pick a site
where discarded seed shells and bird
droppings won’t be a cleanup problem.
Put your feeder where the squirrels
can’t reach. Squirrels become a
problem when they take over a bird
feeder, scaring the birds away and
tossing seed all over. Squirrels have
been known to chew right through
plastic and wooden feeders.
If you’ve seen squirrels in your
neighborhood, it is safe to assume
they will visit your feeder. Think long
and hard before you hang anything
from a tree limb. Squirrels are
incredibly agile, and any feeder
hanging from a tree is likely to
become a squirrel feeder.
In the long run, a squirrel-proof
feeder or any feeder on a pole with a
baffle is the least aggravating solution.
The most effective squirrel-proof
feeder is the pole-mounted metal
“house” type.
Placement
Photo: Kevin
Tennyson,
USDOI
If you must hang a feeder, select a
tube protected with metal mesh.
Most plastic “squirrel-proof ” feeders,
despite manufacturers’ claims, may
eventually succumb to the squirrels.
Any wood or plastic feeder can be
effective when mounted on a pole
with a plastic or metal baffle, if the
pole is at least 10 feet or more from
a tree limb or trunk (squirrels can
jump great distances).
Bird feeders are made from a variety
of materials. You can buy disposable
plastic bag feeders; feeders made
of cloth, nylon, vinyl and metal
netting; clear, lexan, colored and
PVC plastic tubes; ceramic and terra
cotta; redwood, western cedar,
birch, pine and plywood; sheet metal
and aluminized steel; glass tubes
and bottles.
How long a feeder lasts depends on
how well you maintain it, the effects
of weather, and whether squirrels
can get to it. Water can get into any
feeder regardless of how carefully
you protect it. Cloth, vinyl, nylon
and metal netting feeders are
inexpensive, but they do not protect
your seed from spoiling in damp
or wet weather. Improve them by
adding a plastic dome.
Most wood, plastic, ceramic and
solid metal feeders keep seed dry,
but water can get into the feeding
portals. Look for feeders with
drainage holes in the bottoms of both
the feeder hopper and the seed tray.
Even bowl-type feeders and trays
with drainage holes will clog with
seed and bird droppings that can
mix with rainwater and be unhealthy
for any animal. Look for shallow
plate-like seed trays to catch dropped
seeds while allowing spent seed
shells to blow away.
7
Durability
8
When you feed birds, expect bird
droppings and a leftover food mess.
While you do not have to wash the
feeder daily, you should clean it at
least every few weeks. Diseases like
salmonella can grow in moldy, wet
seed and bird droppings in your
feeder tray and on the ground below.
Move your feeder a few feet each
season to give the ground underneath
time to assimilate the seed debris and
bird droppings.
The maintenance required to keep
your feeder clean varies according to
the type of feeder. A thistle feeder for
goldfinches should be cleaned about
once a month depending on how
often it rains. Feeding hummingbirds
requires cleaning at the very least
weekly, but preferably two or three
times a week. Sunflower and suet
feeders need to be cleaned only once
a month.
Plastic, ceramic and glass feeders are
easy to clean. Wash them in a bucket
of hot, soapy water fortified with a
capful or two of chlorine bleach.
Use the same regimen with wood
feeders, but substitute another
disinfectant for the bleach so your
wood won’t fade.
The ideal feeder capacity varies with
your situation, and the types of birds
you want to attract. If you feed
hummingbirds, big feeders are not
always better. One hummingbird
will drink about twice its body
weight (less than an ounce) a day.
Early in the season, hummers are
territorial and won’t share a feeder. A
sixteen-ounce feeder can be wasteful,
or even lethal, because artificial
nectar (sugar water) can ferment in
the hot summer sun. A two-ounce
feeder is more than enough for one
hummer. Increase the size of your
feeder depending on your location
and how many hummers you see in
your yard.
Food Capacity
If you opt for a large-volume seed
feeder, protect it from the weather
and keep it clean. If after months of
use, the birds suddenly abandon your
feeder full of seed, it’s time for a
cleaning.
How Many Birds
If too many birds at your feeder
become a problem, you can control
their numbers by putting out smaller
amounts of seed, or by using
specialty seeds or restrictive feeders
that will attract only certain species.
If you fill your feeder only when it’s
empty, the birds will look for food
elsewhere.
You can encourage small birds and
discourage large birds with feeders
that restrict access. Wood feeders
with vertical bars and feeders
covered with wire mesh frustrate
larger birds.
The most non-selective feeders are
the tray, platform or house feeders
because they allow easy access by
all birds.
Tube feeders without trays also
restrict access to only small birds.
Remove the perches, and you’ve
further restricted the feeder to only
those birds that can easily cling—
finches, chickadees, titmice and
woodpeckers.
9
10
If starlings are a problem at your
suet feeder, discourage them by using
a suet feeder with access only from
the bottom. Starlings are reluctant
to perch upside down. Chickadees
and woodpeckers don’t find that a
problem.
You can virtually eliminate visits by
birds you would rather not see by
offering seeds they won’t eat. If you
use more than one type of seed, put
them in separate feeders. This will
reduce wasted seeds, as birds will
toss unwanted seeds out of a feeder
to get to their favorites.
Watch a feeder filled with a seed mix
and you’ll see the birds methodically
drop or kick out most of the seeds to
get to their favorite—sunflower.
11
Many birds prefer sunflower. Some
prefer millet. A few prefer peanuts.
Sparrows, blackbirds, doves and
juncos will eat the other grains used
in pre-made mixes: corn, milo, red
millet, oats, wheat and canary seed.
Birds will also kick out artificial
“berry” pellets, processed seed
flavored and colored to look like
real fruit.
Black oil sunflower is the hands-down
favorite of all the birds that visit
tube and house feeders. Birds who
visit platform feeders (doves and
sparrows) favor white proso millet.
Ducks, geese and quail will eat corn.
Many cereal grains (corn, milo,
oats, canary, wheat, rape, flax and
buckwheat) in mixed bird seeds are
NOT favorites of birds that visit
tube feeders.
The most effective way to attract the
largest variety of birds to your yard
is to put out separate feeders for
each food:
a starling-resistant suet feeder
a house feeder for sunflower
a bluebird feeder
a wire mesh cage feeder for peanut
a nectar feeder
a tube feeder for thistle
a stationary or tray fruit feeder
a house or platform feeder for millet
12
Suet Feeder
Thistle Feeder
13
Feeding Tray
Nut Feeder
14
Birds Attracted by Various Feeders
and Foods
Tube Feeder with
Black Oil
Sunflower
. . . Adding a
Tray to the Tube
Feeder Will Also
Attract
Tray or Platform
Feeder—with
Millet
Tray or Platform
Feeder—with
Corn
Platform Feeder
or Tube Feeder
and Tray—with
Peanuts
Niger Thistle
Feeder with Tray
Nectar Feeder
goldfinches
chickadees
woodpeckers
nuthatches
cardinals
jays
crossbills
purple finches
house finches
doves
house sparrows
blackbirds
juncos
cowbirds
towhees
starlings
house sparrows
grackles
jays
juncos
bobwhite quail
cardinals
grackles
titmice
starlings
jays
goldfinches
house finches
purple finches
redpolls
pine siskins
doves
hummingbirds
orioles
cardinals
tanagers
titmice
redpolls
pine siskins
woodpeckers
finches
thrushes
white-throated
sparrows
white-crowned
sparrows
white-throated
sparrows
tree sparrows
white-crowned
sparrows
chipping sparrows
doves
ring-necked
pheasants
white-throated
sparrows
chickadees
song sparrows
dark-eyed juncos
white-throated
sparrows
orioles
tanagers
mockingbirds
bluebirds
thrashers
cardinals
woodpeckers
woodpeckers
wrens
chickadees
nuthatches
kinglets
woodpeckers
goldfinches
juncos
cardinals
thrushes
woodpeckers
chickadees
titmice
Uninvited Guests at the Birdfeeder
Once you get your bird feeding
station up and running, you may run
into problems with two kinds of
uninvited guests—those interested in
the seeds (squirrels and chipmunks,
rats and mice, and starlings and
house sparrows), and those
interested in eating a bird for dinner
(cats and hawks).
15
Fruit
Hanging Suet
Feeder
Peanut Butter
Suet
Hanging Peanut
Feeder
jays
starlings
thrushes
cedar waxwings
yellow-breasted
chats
thrashers
creepers
cardinals
starlings
jays
kinglets
bluebirds
wrens
starlings
16
When a squirrel is at the feeder,
you’re not likely to see birds.
Squirrels will scare off the birds
while they eat the seed and
sometimes they will eat the feeder
too. The simplest solution is a
squirrel-proof feeder or pole.
Starlings and house sparrows are not
native to North America and are
aggressive towards other species.
Choose your feeder and seed to
exclude these species if possible.
Chipmunks, rats and mice can also
become a problem where there is
seed spillage under the feeder.
Don’t use mixed bird seed, and if
you don’t have a squirrel problem,
add a feeder tray.
Feral cats and your neighbor’s tabby
are a serious threat to many birds.
Keep feeders away from brushpiles
and shrubbery, as this offers cats the
necessary cover to surprise birds.
If there are no cats in your
neighborhood and you find a pile of
feathers near your feeder, look for a
full-bellied hawk perching on a tree
nearby. Don’t put out poisons or try
to trap hawks though, as this is
against state and federal law.
Questions about Feeding Wild Birds
Usually, whenever the weather is
severe, birds will appreciate a
reliable supplemental food source.
In northern areas, start before the
onset of cold weather so birds have
time to find the feeder.
Although you can feed birds year-round,
especially with fruit and
nectar, you can stop feeding seeds
once a reliable supply of insects is
available in the spring.
There is no evidence that feeding
hummers after Labor Day will delay
migration. Still, feeders in areas with
sub-freezing winter weather should
be removed shortly after that holiday.
Tempting hummers to remain beyond
normal departure dates is ill-advised.
It may take more time for birds to
find window feeders than hanging or
pole-mounted feeders. You may want
to wrap aluminum foil around the top
of the feeder hanger. Sometimes all it
takes is the reflection of light on the
foil to catch their attention.
When birds desert your feeder, it
may be simply that a lot of natural
food is available nearby. Or
something may be wrong, such as
spoiled seeds or a contaminated
feeder. Throw the seeds away and
wash the feeder. Look at where your
feeder is placed. Be sure it’s not
vulnerable to predators. At the same
time, make sure it is not in an open
area, away from the cover in which
birds usually travel.
Birds don’t have sweat glands in their
feet, so they won’t freeze onto metal
feeders. There’s no need to cover
any metal feeders parts with plastic
or wood to protect birds’ feet,
tongues or eyes.
17
When is the best
time to start?
When’s the best
time to stop?
Is it best to
stop feeding
hummingbirds
after Labor Day?
How long does it
take for birds to
find a feeder?
My feeder is full
of seeds. I haven’t
seen a bird in
months. Am I
doing something
wrong?
Will birds’ feet
stick to metal
feeders and
perches in the
wet winter
weather?
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Birds have no teeth to grind their
food. The dirt, sand, pebbles and
grit they eat sit in their crop and
help grind up their food. Adding
grit to your feeder is helpful,
particularly in the winter and spring.
Crushed eggshells do the same thing,
and in the spring have an added
benefit: they provide birds with
extra calcium for producing eggs of
their own.
There is no evidence that birds can
choke on peanut butter. However,
birds have no salivary glands. You
can make it easier on them by mixing
peanut butter with lard, cornmeal or
grit. Your birds will appreciate
drinking water too, from a bird bath
or trough.
In the winter, raw beef fat from the
local butcher is all you need for your
suet feeder. When temperatures rise,
raw fat can melt and get rancid. It’s
safer to use commercially rendered
suet cakes in the spring and summer
months. Rendering (boiling) the fat
kills bacteria.
You can make your own hummingbird
nectar by adding 1/4 cup of sugar to a
cup of boiling water. Remember,
sugar water will ferment when left in
the hot sun, turning nectar deadly.
Do not put out a nectar feeder if you
are not willing to clean it at least
weekly, preferably twice a week.
Hummers eat insects for their
protein. There is no evidence that
these tiny birds need vitamin and
mineral supplements. There is also
no evidence that adding red food
coloring to nectar will harm the
birds, but it probably is not necessary
to attract them. Just put your
feeder near red flowers or buy a red
hummingbird feeder.
Do wild birds
need grit?
Can birds choke
on peanut
butter?
Won’t suet go bad
in the summer?
What is
hummingbird
nectar? Do
hummers need
nectar fortified
with vitamins
and minerals?
Bees will inevitably visit your
hummingbird feeder, especially in
hot weather. Little plastic bee guards
may help keep them from getting
nectar but it won’t stop them from
trying. Don’t take the chance of
contaminating your nectar by
putting vegetable oil around the
feeding portals. One solution is to
add a few small feeders away from
where people are likely to be
bothered by bees.
Birds will come right to your window.
Sometimes it takes a while for them
to overcome their initial reluctance,
so be patient. Don’t worry that a
feeder on the window will cause
birds to fly into the window. Birds fly
into the window because they see
the reflection of the woods. Window
feeders and decals help break up
the reflection.
No. The red or pink coating is
capstan, a fungicide used on seeds
meant for planting. If you buy a bag
of cracked corn or other seed treated
with capstan, return it to the store.
It can kill horses, other mammals
and wild birds.
Moths lay their eggs in sunflower
seeds. The eggs lay dormant as long
as the seeds are stored in a cool dry
place. In the summer, seeds get hot
and the eggs hatch. The best way
to avoid this problem is to buy seeds
in smaller quantities, or store your
seeds in a cool, dry place. It also
helps to know where your retailer
stores the seed. An air-conditioned
storage unit is the better choice.
Insects also lay their eggs in burlap
bags. Don’t buy seeds in burlap bags.
Don’t buy seed in paper and plastic
bags with patched holes. That may be
a sign of insect or rodent infestation.
19
How can I avoid
bees at my
hummingbird
feeder?
How close to my
window can I put
a feeder?
Is cracked corn
coated with a red
dye safe to use?
I bought a bag of
sunflower seeds
early in the
spring. Over the
summer I first
noticed worms,
then moths. What
can I do to keep
the bugs out?
20
Homes for Birds
Many of the birds that visit feeders
and baths may stay and nest in
nearby trees. Most of them, including
cardinals, doves and orioles, don’t
nest in boxes. You can still help
them by considering their food and
shelter requirements in your
landscape plans.
More than two dozen North
American birds nest in bird houses.
The following descriptions will help
you determine which birds might
visit your neighborhood.
If you put up a bluebird house near
an old field, orchard, park, cemetery
or golf course, you might have a
chance of attracting a pair of
bluebirds. They prefer nest boxes on
a tree stump or wooden fence post
between three and five feet high.
Bluebirds also nest in abandoned
woodpecker nest holes.
The most important measurement is
the hole diameter. An inch and a half
is small enough to deter starlings,
which, along with house sparrows,
have been known to kill bluebirds, as
well as adults sitting on the nest.
Bluebirds have problems with other
animals too. Discourage cats, snakes,
raccoons and chipmunks by mounting
the house on a metal pole, or use a
metal predator guard on a wood post.
The robin is our largest thrush.
They prefer to build their nest in the
crotch of a tree. If you don’t have an
appropriate tree, you can offer a
nesting platform. Pick a spot six
feet or higher up on a shaded tree
trunk or under the overhang of a
shed or porch. Creating a “mud
puddle” nearby offers further
enticement, as robins use mud to hold
their nests together.
Birds You Can
Attract to Nest
Boxes
Bluebirds
American Robins
Chickadees, titmice and nuthatches
share the same food, feeders, and
habitat. If you put a properly
designed nest box in a wooded yard,
at least one of these species might
check it out.
Put chickadee houses at eye level.
Hang them from limbs or secure
them to tree trunks. The entrance
hole should be 11/8 inches to attract
chickadees, yet exclude house
sparrows. Anchor houses for
nuthatches on tree trunks five to six
feet off the ground.
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Chickadees,
Nuthatches
and Titmice
Look for brown creepers to nest
behind the curved bark of tree
trunks. In heavily wooded yards, slab
bark houses appeal to creepers.
Prothonotary warblers also prefer
slab bark houses, or bluebird boxes
attached to a tree trunk, but theirs
must be placed over water (lakes,
rivers or swamps) with a good canopy
of trees overhead.
Brown Creepers
and
Prothonotary
Warblers
22
Wrens don’t seem to be very picky
about where they nest. Try nest
boxes with a 1 inch x 2 inch horizontal
slot (11/2 inch x 21/2 inch for the larger
Carolina wrens) instead of a circle.
These are easier for the wrens to use.
However, the larger the opening, the
more likely it is house sparrows will
occupy the box.
Wrens are known for filling a nest
cavity with twigs, regardless of
whether they use the nest to raise
their young. Since male house wrens
build several nests for the female to
choose from, hang several nest
boxes at eye level on partly sunlit
tree limbs. Wrens are sociable and
will accept nest boxes quite close to
your house.
Wrens
Tree swallows prefer nest boxes
attached to dead trees. Space the
boxes about seven feet apart for
these white-bellied birds with
iridescent blue-green backs and
wings. The ideal setting for these
insect-eaters is on the edge of a large
field near a lake, pond or river.
Violet-green swallows nest in forested
mountains of the West; boxes
placed on large trees in a semi-open
woodland will attract them.
If you have the right habitat, like an
open barn or old shed, barn swallows
and phoebes are easy to attract.
It’s their nesting behavior, not their
plumage or song, that catches your
attention. However, these birds tend
to nest where you would rather not
have them: on a ledge right over
your front door. To avoid a mess by
your door, offer the birds a nesting
shelf nearby where you’d rather
have them.
23
Tree and Violet-green
Swallows
Barn Swallows
and Phoebes
24
Many people want martins in their
yards because, it’s been said, these
birds eat 2,000 mosquitoes a day.
While it’s true that they eat flying
insects, don’t expect purple martins
to eliminate mosquitoes in your yard
completely. Martins prefer
dragonflies, which prey on mosquito
larvae. If you want to help rid your
yard of mosquitoes, put up a bat
roosting box. One bat can eat
thousands of mosquitoes a night.
Martins are entertaining creatures,
however, and you’ll enjoy watching
their antics in your backyard. You
have the best chance of attracting
martins if you put a house on the
edge of a pond or river, surrounded
by a field or lawn. Martins need
a radius of about 40 feet of
unobstructed flying space around
their houses. A telephone wire
nearby gives them a place to perch
in sociable groups.
Martins nest in groups, so you’ll need
a house with a minimum of four large
rooms—6 or more inches on all
sides, with a 2 1/2 inch entrance hole
about 11/2 inches above the floor.
Ventilation and drainage are critical
factors in martin house design.
Porches, railings, porch dividers
and supplemental roof perches, like
a TV antenna, make any house
more appealing.
You can also make houses from
gourds by fashioning an entrance
hole and small holes in the bottom
for drainage. If you use gourds, it’s
not necessary to add railings and
perches. Adult martins will perch on
the wire used to hang the houses.
Before you select a house, think
about what kind of pole you’re going
to put it on. Martins occupy a house
ten to twenty feet off the ground.
Some poles are less cumbersome
than others.
Purple Martins
Gourd houses are the easiest to set
up. String them from a wire between
two poles, from a sectional aluminum
pole, or on pulleys mounted to a
crossbar high up on a pole.
You can mount lightweight aluminum
houses for martins on telescoping
poles, providing easy access for
maintenance and inspection. Because
of their weight (more than 30
pounds), wood houses should not be
mounted on telescoping poles. You’ll
have to use a sturdy metal or a wood
pole attached to a pivot post. The
problem with this lowering technique
is that you can’t tilt the house without
damaging the nests inside. If you put
your house on a shorter, fixed pole,
ten to twelve feet high, you can use a
ladder to inspect and maintain it.
The great crested flycatcher and its
western cousin, the ash-throated
flycatcher, are common in wooded
suburbs and rural areas with
woodlots. Their natural nesting sites
are abandoned woodpecker holes.
Flycatchers may nest in a bird
house if it is placed about ten feet
up in a tree in an orchard or at the
edge of a field or stream. This is a
longshot, but well worth the effort if
you are successful.
You can attract all types of
woodpeckers with a suet feeder, but
only the flicker is likely to use a
bird house. They prefer a box with
roughened interior and a floor
covered with a two-inch layer of
wood chips or coarse sawdust.
Flickers are especially attracted to
nest boxes filled with sawdust, which
they “excavate” to suit themselves.
For best results, place the box
high up on a tree trunk, exposed to
direct sunlight.
25
Flycatchers
Woodpeckers
26
Try building a birdhouse for the
other species of woodpeckers
following the guidelines in this
booklet. You might be surprised!
Most owls seldom build their own
nests. Great horned and long-eared
owls prefer abandoned crow and
hawk nests. Other owls (barred, barn,
saw-whet, boreal and screech) nest in
tree cavities and bird houses.
Barn owls are best known for
selecting nesting sites near farms.
Where trees are sparse, these birds
will nest in church steeples, silos
and barns. If you live near a farm or
a golf course, try fastening a nest
box for owls about 15 feet up on a
tree trunk.
Screech owls prefer abandoned
woodpecker holes at the edge of a
field or neglected orchard. They will
readily take to boxes lined with an
inch or two of wood shavings. If you
clean the box out in late spring after
the young owls have fledged, you may
attract a second tenant—a kestrel.
Trees isolated from larger tracts of
woods have less chance of squirrels
taking over the box.
Owls
Selecting a House
In the bird house business, there’s
no such thing as “one size fits all.”
Decide which bird you want to
attract, then get a house for that
particular bird. Look through any
book or catalog and you’ll see bird
houses of all sizes and shapes,
with perches and without, made of
materials you might not have
thought of: recycled paper, gourds,
plastic, rubber, pottery, metal and
concrete. The proper combination
of quality materials and design
makes a good birdhouse.
27
Materials
Wood is just about the best building
material for any birdhouse. It’s
durable, has good insulating qualities
and breathes. Three-quarter-inch
thick bald cypress and red cedar are
recommended. Pine and exterior
grade plywood will do, but they are
not as durable.
It makes no difference whether the
wood is slab, rough-cut or finished,
as long as the inside has not been
treated with stains or preservatives.
Fumes from the chemicals could
harm the birds.
photo: Bill French/
USFWS
28
There’s no need to paint cypress and
cedar, but pine and plywood houses
will last longer with a coat of water-based
exterior latex paint. White is
the color for purple martin houses.
Tan, gray or dull green works best
for the other cavity nesting species.
The dull, light colors reflect heat and
are less conspicuous to predators.
Don’t paint the inside of the box or
the entrance hole.
Regardless of which wood you select,
gluing all the joints before you nail
them will extend the life of your bird
house. Galvanized or brass shank
nails, hinges and screws resist
rusting and hold boxes together more
tightly as they age.
Resist the temptation to put a metal
roof on your bird house. Reflective
metal makes sense for martin houses
up on a sixteen-foot pole, but when
it’s tacked onto the roof of a wood
chickadee house, the shiny metal is
more likely to attract predators.
Natural gourds make very attractive
bird houses. They breathe, and
because they sway in the wind they
are less likely to be taken over by
house sparrows and starlings.
Grow your own gourds and you’ll
have dozens to choose from in the
years ahead. If you don’t have the
space to grow them, a coat of
polyurethane or exterior latex (on the
outside only) will add years to the one
you have.
Properly designed pottery, aluminum
(for purple martins only), concrete
and plastic houses are durable, but
don’t drop them.
Be sure to provide ventilation,
drainage, and easy access for
maintenance and monitoring.
Concrete (or a mix of concrete and
sawdust) offers protection other
houses cannot: squirrels can’t chew
their way in.
Design
How elaborate you make your bird
house depends on your own tastes. In
addition to where you place the box,
the most important considerations
are: box height, depth, floor
dimensions, diameter of entrance
hole and height of the hole above the
box floor.
Refer to the following chart before
building your nest box, keeping in
mind that birds make their own
choices, without regard for charts.
So don’t be surprised if you find
tenants you never expected in a
house you intended for someone else.
Now that you have the correct
dimensions for your bird house,
take a look at how to make it safe:
ventilation, drainage, susceptibly to
predators, and ease of maintenance.
29
30
Nest Box Dimensions
Floor Depth
size (top to bottom)
Species (inches) (inches)
American Robin* 7x8 8
Eastern &
Western
Bluebirds 5x5 8–12
Mountain
Bluebird 5x5 8–12
Chickadee 4x4 8–10
Titmouse 4x4 10–12
Ash-throated
Flycatcher 6x6 8–12
Great Crested
Flycatcher 6x6 8–12
Phoebe* 6x6 6
Brown-headed/
Pygmy/
Red-breasted
Nuthatch 4x4 8–10
White-breasted
Nuthatch 4x4 8–10
Prothonotary
Warbler 5x5 6
Barn Swallow* 6x6 6
Purple Martin 6x6 6
Tree and Violet-
Green Swallows 5x5 6–8
*Use nesting shelf, platform with three sides and
an open front
31
Entrance Height Entrance Height
above floor Diameter above ground
(inches) (inches) (feet)
—– —–
6–10 11/2 4–6
6–10 11/2 4–6
6–8 11/8 4–15
6–10 11/4 5–15
6–10 11/2 5–15
6–10 13/4 5–15
—– —– 8–12
6–8 11/4 5–15
6–8 13/8 5–15
4–5 11/8 4–8
—– —– 8–12
1–2 21/4 6–20
4–6 11/2 5–15
32
Floor Depth
size (top to bottom)
Species (inches) (inches)
Downy
Woodpecker 4x4 8–10
Hairy
Woodpecker 6x6 12–15
Lewis’s
Woodpecker 7x7 16–18
Northern
Flicker 7x7 16–18
Pileated
Woodpecker 8x8 16–24
Red–Headed
Woodpecker 6x6 12–15
Yellow–bellied
Sapsucker 5x5 12–15
Bewick’s/
House Wrens 4x4 6–8
Carolina Wren 4x4 6–8
Barn Owl 10x18 15–18
Screech–Owl
and Kestrel 8x8 12–15
Osprey 48x48 (platform)
Red–tailed
Hawk/Great
Horned Owl 24x24 platform
Wood Duck 10x18 10–24
*Use nesting shelf, platform with three sides and
an open front
33
Entrance Height Entrance Height
above floor Diameter above ground
(inches) (inches) (feet)
6–8 11/4 5–15
9–12 1 1/2 8–20
14–16 21/2 12–20
14–16 21/2 6–20
12–20 3x4 15–25
9–12 2 10–20
9–12 11/2 10–20
4–6 11/4 5–10
4–6 11/2 5–10
4 6 12–18
9–12 3 10–30
12–16 4 10–20
34
You should provide air vents in bird
boxes. There are two ways to provide
ventilation: leave gaps between the
roof and sides of the box, or drill 1/4
inch holes just below the roof.
Water becomes a problem when it sits
in the bottom of a bird house. A roof
with sufficient slope and overhang
offers some protection. Drilling the
entrance hole on an upward slant
may also help keep the water out.
Regardless of design, driving rain
will get in through the entrance hole.
You can assure proper drainage by
cutting away the corners of the box
floor and drilling 1/4-inch holes. Nest
boxes will last longer if the floors are
recessed about 1/4 inch.
Look for the entrance hole on the
front panel near the top. A rough
surface both inside and out makes it
easier for the adults to get into the
box and, when it’s time, for the
nestlings to climb out.
If your box is made of finished wood,
add a couple of grooves outside below
the hole. Open the front panel and
add grooves, cleats or wire mesh to
the inside. Never put up a bird house
with a perch below the entrance
hole. Perches offer starlings, house
sparrows and other predators a
convenient place to wait for lunch.
Don’t be tempted by duplexes or
houses that have more than one
entrance hole. Except for purple
martins, cavity-nesting birds prefer
not to share a house. While these
condos look great in your yard,
starlings and house sparrows are
inclined to use them.
Ventilation
Drainage
Entrance Hole
Bird houses should be easily
accessible so you can see how your
birds are doing and clean out the
house. Monitor your bird houses
every week and evict unwanted
creatures such as house sparrows
or starlings.
Be careful when you inspect your
bird boxes—you may find something
other than a bird inside. Don’t be
surprised to see squirrels, mice,
snakes or insects. Look for fleas,
flies, mites, larvae and lice in the
bottom of the box. If you find insects
and parasites, your first reaction may
be to grab the nearest can of insect
spray. If you do, use only insecticides
known to be safe around birds:
1 percent rotenone powder or
pyrethrin spray. If wasps are a
problem, coat the inside top of the
box with bar soap.
35
Accessibility
Here’s how to check your nest boxes
for unwanted visitors:
Watch the nest for 20–30 minutes. If
you don’t see or hear any birds near
the box, go over and tap on the box.
If you hear bird sounds, open the
top and take a quick peek inside. If
everything is all right, close the box.
If you see problems (parasites or
predators), remove them and close
the box.
36
A bird house with easy access makes
the job simple. Most bird houses can
be opened from the top, the side, the
front or the bottom. Boxes that open
from the top and the front provide
the easiest access. Opening the box
from the top is less likely to disturb
nesting birds. It’s impossible to open
a box from the bottom without the
nest falling out. While side- and
front-opening boxes are convenient
for cleaning and monitoring, they
have one drawback: the nestlings
may jump out. If this happens, don’t
panic. Pick them up and put them
back in the nest. Don’t worry that the
adults will reject the nestlings if you
handle them. That’s a myth; most
birds have a terrible sense of smell.
If you clean out your nest boxes after
each brood has fledged, several pairs
may use the nest throughout the
summer. Some cavity-nesting birds
will not nest again in a box full of old
nesting material.
In the fall, after you’ve cleaned out
your nest box for the last time, you
can put it in storage or leave it out.
Gourds and pottery last longer if you
take them in for the winter. You can
leave your purple martin houses up,
but plug the entrance holes to
discourage starlings and house
sparrows.
Leaving your wood and concrete
houses out provides shelter for birds,
flying squirrels and other animals
during winter. Each spring,
thoroughly clean all houses left out
for the winter.
Proper box depth, and roof and
entrance hole design will help
reduce access by predators, such as
raccoons, cats, opossums, and
squirrels. Sometimes all it takes is an
angled roof with a three-inch
overhang to discourage small
mammals.
The entrance hole is the only thing
between a predator and a bird house
full of nestlings. By itself, the 3/4-inch
wall is not wide enough to keep out
the arm of a raccoon or house cat.
Add a predator guard (a 3/4-inch thick
rectangular wood block with an
entrance hole cut in it) to thicken the
wall and you’ll discourage sparrows,
starlings, and cats.
Bird House Placement
Where you put your bird house is as
important as its design and
construction. Cavity-nesting birds are
very particular about where they live.
If you don’t have the right habitat,
the birds are not likely to find the
house. You can modify your land to
attract the birds you want to see by
putting out a bird bath, planting
fruit-bearing shrubs, including more
trees or installing a pond with a
waterfall.
37
Limiting
Predator Access
38
Once you’ve matched up the right
bird house with the appropriate
habitat, you have to know where to
put the nest box. Should you hang it
from a tree limb, nail it to a fence or
mount it on a pole or a tree trunk?
Most species require a fairly narrow
range of heights for nest boxes. After
checking the table in this brochure,
pick a height that’s convenient for
you. After all, you will want to watch
what goes on and keep the box clean.
If you want to watch chickadees from
your second floor window or deck,
fifteen feet is reasonable but it’s a lot
easier to clean out a box at eye level.
Here are some tips on where to put
bird houses:
don’t put bird houses near bird
feeders.
houses mounted on metal poles are
less vulnerable to predators than
houses nailed to tree trunks or hung
from tree limbs.
use no more than four small nest
boxes or one large box per acre for
any one species.
put about 100 yards between bluebird
boxes and 75 yards between swallow
boxes. (If you have both species, pair
the houses with one bluebird box 25
feet from a swallow box.)
don’t put more than one box in a tree
unless the tree is extremely large or
the boxes are for different species.
if you have very hot summers, face
the entrance holes of your boxes
north or east to avoid overheating
the box.
Protection from Predators
Nesting birds are extremely
vulnerable to cats, as are fledglings
and birds roosting for the night.
Bell collars on cats offer birds little
protection. Nailing a sheet metal
guard or cone to a tree trunk is
unsightly, but may deter less agile
felines. Houses mounted on metal
poles are the most difficult for
predators to reach, especially if you
smear the poles with a petroleum
jelly and hot pepper mixture. The
best deterrent is for owners to keep
their cats inside whenever possible.
Pet dogs are a hazard to nestlings
in the spring and summer. Don’t
let your dog run loose during
nesting time.
Red squirrels, and sometimes gray
squirrels, can become a serious
menace to bird houses and the birds
themselves. If you find your nest hole
enlarged, chances are a red squirrel
is the culprit. Once inside the box,
squirrels make a meal of the eggs
and young. Adding a predator guard
made of sheet metal to the entrance
hole is usually enough to keep
squirrels out.
Raccoons and opossums will stick
their arms inside nest boxes and try
to pull out the adult, young, and
eggs. Adding a 3/4-inch thick predator
guard to the bird house or an
inverted cone to its pole support is a
simple solution.
Snakes play an important part in the
balance of nature. If you find one in
your bird house, don’t kill it. Snake-proof
your house by putting it on a
metal pole lathered with petroleum
jelly or red cayenne pepper.
39
Cats
Dogs
Squirrels
Raccoons and
Opossums
Snakes
40
If you don’t discourage them, these
two nuisance species introduced
from Europe will harass or kill
cavity-nesting birds. Since house
sparrows and starlings are not
protected by law, you may destroy
their nests. But remember, other
birds are protected by law.
House wrens sometimes interfere
with the nesting success of other
birds by puncturing their eggs.
But, unlike the house sparrow and
starling, these birds are native to
North America and are protected by
law. Don’t be tempted to intervene
when wrens appear at your
backyard birdhouse.
Many insects lay their eggs and
pupate in bird houses. Inspect your
bird houses for signs of gypsy moths,
blow flies, wasps, ants, gnats and
bees. Keep bees and wasps from
attaching their nests by coating the
inside of the roof with bar soap. In
areas where gypsy moths abound,
avoid placing boxes in oak trees,
which the gypsy moths favor.
Pyrethrin and rotenone insecticides
are recommended for killing fly
larvae, bird lice and mites after birds
have finished nesting for the season.
Attracting Birds
As people learn to enjoy the beauty
of birds around their home, they may
wish to improve the “habitat” in their
yard so that more birds will visit
their property. You can attract birds
by placing bird feeders, nest boxes
and bird baths in your yard, and by
planting a variety of trees, shrubs,
and flowers. These can provide good
nesting sites, winter shelter, places
to hide from predators and natural
food supplies that are available
year-round.
House Sparrows
and Starlings
House Wrens
Insects
Landscaping for Birds
The most surefire way to attract
birds to your backyard is to make
certain the appropriate habitat is
available to them. You may be lucky
and already have a good supply of
food, shelter, and water available for
our feathered friends. In that case,
you have to do little more than stand
back and watch.
However, for most backyards, bird
habitat must be created. It’s called
“landscaping for birds” and it can
be as simple or extravagant as
you wish. Whatever the approach,
anyone who has ever tried this type
of landscaping comes away with a
real love for it after their first
sparkling hummingbirds hover at
the coral bells, or the perky catbird
comes down for a drink of water from
the birdbath, or the sleek waxwings
gather en masse to sample
bittersweet berries.
41
Wildlife photography is a wonderful
hobby for people of all ages.
Try keeping a list of all the birds you
see in your yard or from your yard.
Some people have counted nearly 200
species of birds in their yard!
Birds such as tree swallows, house
wrens, brown thrashers and orioles
eat a variety of insects.
42
Benefits of Landscaping for Birds
You can derive many benefits from
landscaping to attract birds to your
yard:
You can probably double the number
of bird species using your property
with a good landscaping plan.
By carefully arranging your conifer
and hardwood trees, you can lower
winter heating and summer cooling
bills for your house.
Certain landscape plants can prevent
soil erosion.
A good landscaping plan contributes
to a beautiful, natural setting around
your home that is pleasing to people
as well as birds.
Increased
Wildlife
Populations
Energy
Conservation
Soil
Conservation
Natural Beauty
Wildlife
Photography
Birdwatching
Natural Insect
Control
Some plants that attract wildlife
are also appealing to humans.
People and wildlife can share
cherries, chokecherries, strawberries,
and crabapples.
A good landscaping plan can greatly
increase the value of your property
by adding natural beauty and an
abundance of wildlife.
Some of the best wildlife habitats are
the best habitats for young people to
discover the wonders of nature. A
backyard bird habitat can stimulate
young people to develop a lifelong
interest in wildlife and conservation.
Basics of Landscaping for Birds
Landscaping for birds involves nine
basic principles:
Every bird species has its own unique
food requirements that may change
as the seasons change. Learn the
food habits of the birds you wish to
attract. Then plant the appropriate
trees, shrubs, and flowers to provide
the fruits, berries, seeds, acorns, nuts
and nectar.
You may be able to double the
number of bird species in your
yard by providing a source of water.
A frog pond, water garden, or
bird bath will get lots of bird use,
especially if the water is dripping,
splashing or moving.
Birds need places where they can
hide from predators and escape from
severe weather. Trees (including dead
ones), shrubs, tall grass and bird
houses provide excellent shelter.
The best landscaping plan is one
that includes a variety of native
plants. This helps attract the most
bird species.
43
Food Production
Property Value
Habitat for Kids
Food
Water
Shelter
Diversity
44
Give birds food and shelter
throughout the year by planting a
variety of trees, shrubs and flowers
that provide year-round benefits.
Properly arrange the different
habitat components in your yard.
Consider the effects of prevailing
winds (and snow drifting) so your
yard will be protected from harsh
winter weather.
Birds should be protected from
unnecessary mortality. When
choosing the placement of bird
feeders and nest boxes, consider their
accessibility to predators. Picture
windows can also be dangerous for
birds, who fly directly at windows
when they see the reflection of trees
and shrubs. A network of parallel,
vertical strings spaced 4 inches
apart can be placed on the outside of
windows to prevent this problem. Be
cautious about the kinds of herbicides
and pesticides used in your yard.
Apply them only when necessary
and strictly according to label
instructions. In fact, try gardening
and lawn care without using
pesticides. Details can be found in
gardening books at the library.
When considering plants not native to
your area, consult a plant hardiness
zone map, found in most garden
catalogues. Make sure the plants
you want are rated for the winter
hardiness zone classification of
your area.
Consult your local garden center,
university or county extension office
to have your soil tested. Plant species
are often adapted to certain types
of soils. If you know what type of
soil you have, you can identify the
types of plants that will grow best in
your yard.
Four Seasons
Arrangement
Protection
Hardiness Zones
Soils and
Topography
Plants for Wild Birds
Seven types of plants are important
as bird habitat:
Conifers are evergreen trees and
shrubs that include pines, spruces,
firs, arborvitae, junipers, cedars, and
yews. These plants are important as
escape cover, winter shelter and
summer nesting sites. Some also
provide sap, fruits and seeds.
Grasses and legumes can provide
cover for ground nesting birds—but
only if the area is not mowed during
the nesting season. Some grasses
and legumes provide seeds as well.
Native prairie grasses are becoming
increasingly popular for landscaping
purposes.
Nectar-producing plants are very
popular for attracting hummingbirds
and orioles. Flowers with tubular red
corollas are especially attractive to
hummingbirds. Other trees, shrubs,
vines and flowers also can provide
nectar for hummingbirds.
This category includes plants that
produce fruits or berries from May
through August. In the summer these
plants can attract brown thrashers,
catbirds, robins, thrushes, waxwings,
woodpeckers, orioles, cardinals,
towhees and grosbeaks. Examples of
summer-fruiting plants are various
species of cherry, chokecherry,
honeysuckle, raspberry, serviceberry,
blackberry, blueberry, grape,
mulberry, plum and elderberry.
45
Conifers
Grasses and
Legumes
Nectar-producing
Plants
Summer-fruiting
Plants
46
This landscape component includes
shrubs and vines whose fruits ripen
in the fall. These foods are important
both for migratory birds which build
up fat reserves before migration and
as a food source for nonmigratory
species that need to enter the winter
season in good physical condition.
Fall-fruiting plants include dogwoods,
mountain ash, winter-berries,
cottoneasters and buffalo-berries.
Winter-fruiting plants are those
whose fruits remain attached to the
plants long after they first become
ripe in the fall. Many are not
palatable until they have frozen and
thawed many times. Examples are
glossy black chokecherry, Siberian
and “red splendor” crabapple,
snowberry, bittersweet, sumacs,
American highbush cranberry,
eastern and European wahoo,
Virginia creeper, and Chinaberry.
These include oaks, hickories,
buckeyes, chestnuts, butternuts,
walnuts and hazels. A variety of
birds, such as jays, woodpeckers and
titmice, eat the meats of broken nuts
and acorns These plants also
contribute to good nesting habitat.
How to Get Started
Think of this project as landscaping
for birds. Your goal will be to plant
an assortment of trees, shrubs and
flowers that will attract birds. If you
plan carefully it can be inexpensive
and fun for the whole family. The
best way to get started is to follow
these guidelines:
Decide what types of birds you wish
to attract, then build your plan
around the needs of those species.
Talk to friends and neighbors to
find out what kinds of birds frequent
your area. Attend a local bird
club meeting and talk to local
birdwatchers about how they have
attracted birds to their yards.
Fall-fruiting
Plants
Winter-fruiting
Plants
Nut and Acorn
Plants
Set Your
Priorities
Check with the botany department
of a nearby college or university or
with your state’s natural heritage
program for lists of trees, shrubs,
and wildflowers native to your area.
Use this list as a starting point for
your landscape plan. These plants are
naturally adapted to the climate of
your area and are a good long-term
investment. Many native plants are
both beautiful for landscaping
purposes and excellent for birds.
If you include nonnative plant species
in your plan, be sure they are not
considered “invasive pests” by plant
experts. Check out the bird books in
your local library.
Draw a map of your property to scale
using graph paper. Identify buildings,
sidewalks, power lines, buried cables,
fences, septic tank fields, trees,
shrubs and patios. Consider how
your plan relates to your neighbor’s
property—will the tree you plant
shade out the neighbor’s vegetable
garden? Identify and map sunny or
shady sites, low or wet sites, sandy
sites, and native plants that will be
left in place.
Also identify special views that
you wish to enhance—areas for
pets, benches, picnics, storage,
playing, sledding, vegetable gardens
and paths.
Get your soil tested by your local
garden center, county extension
agent or soil conservation service.
Find out what kinds of soil you have
and then find out if your soils have
nutrient or organic deficiencies that
fertilization or addition of compost
can correct. The soils you have will
help determine the plants which can
be included in your landscaping plan.
47
Use Native
Plants When
Possible
Draw a Map of
Your Property
Get Your Soil
Tested
48
Review the seven plant components
described previously. Which
components are already present?
Which ones are missing? Remember
that you are trying to provide food
and cover through all four seasons.
Develop a list of plants that you think
will provide the missing habitat
components.
Review this plant list with
landscaping resource experts who can
match your ideas with your soil types,
soil drainage and the plants available
through state or private nurseries.
People at the nearby arboretum can
help with your selections. At an
arboretum you can also see what
many plants look like. Talk with local
bird clubs, the members of which
probably are knowledgeable about
landscaping for birds.
Sketch on your map the plants you
wish to add. Draw trees to a scale
that represents three-fourths of their
mature width, and shrubs at their full
mature width. This will help you
calculate how many trees and shrubs
you need. There is a tendency to
include so many trees that eventually
your yard will be mostly shaded. Be
sure to leave open sunny sites where
flowers and shrubs can thrive. Decide
how much money you can spend and
the time span of your project. Don’t
try to do too much at once. You might
try a five-year development plan.
Finally, go to it! Begin your plantings
and include your entire family so they
can all feel they are helping wildlife.
Document your plantings on paper
and by photographs. Try taking
pictures of your yard from the same
spots every year to document the
growth of your plants.
Review the Seven
Plant Habitat
Components
Talk to Resource
Experts
Develop Your
Planting Plan
Implement Your
Plan
Keep your new trees, shrubs and
flowers adequately watered, and keep
your planting areas weed-free by use
of landscaping film and wood chips or
shredded bark mulch. This avoids the
use of herbicides for weed control.
If problems develop with your plants,
consult a local nursery, garden center
or county extension agent.
Make sure to take the time to enjoy
the wildlife that will eventually
respond to your landscaping efforts.
Protecting Bird Habitat
Each year your state wildlife agency,
private conservation groups, the
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, other
federal agencies, and many private
landowners and business leaders
work together to conserve and
manage millions of acres of habitat—
swamps, forests, ponds and
grasslands. These habitats provide
nesting habitat for songbirds and
shorebirds, ducks and geese, hawks
and owls.
You can make a difference in helping
protect habitats for migratory birds
by joining a national, regional or
local wildlife or habitat conservation
organization. Also, each year
thousands of individuals throughout
the western hemisphere celebrate
International Migratory Bird Day
(IMBD) through bird festivals, walks
and counts. Held annually on the
second Saturday in May, IMBD is
the hallmark event of Partners in
Flight, an international coalition
of federal, state, local government
and non-government agencies and
organizations, industry, the academic
community, and private individuals.
Partners in Flight’s mission is to
reverse the declines of some
49
Maintain Your
Plan
And Finally . . .
50
migratory bird species and raise
awareness of the important role
that migratory birds play in our
lives. Look for an IMBD event in
your area. For more information
about IMBD, Partners in Flight
or migratory bird related issues,
contact U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service, Division of Migratory Bird
Management, 4401 North Fairfax
Drive, Suite 634, Arlington, VA 22203
or visit http://birds.fws.gov.
Another way that you can help
preserve a disappearing but valuable
natural resource—wetlands—is by
buying Federal Duck Stamps at your
local post office. Money from sales
of these stamps is used to protect
wetlands. For more information,
write U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service,
Federal Duck Stamp Office,
1849 C Street, NW, Washington, DC
20240. http://duckstamps.fws.gov.
All photos copyright Maslowski
Photo, Inc. except as noted.
Additional Resources
A large variety of books are available
on attracting, housing, feeding, and
gardening for birds. Check your local
library, book store, or the Internet,
for a selection of books on attracting
birds to your yard.
There are many good on-line
resources for bird enthusiasts.
Below are a few useful web sites that
discuss some of the more popular
backyard birds; general information
on bird feeding, housing, and
gardening for birds; ways to keep
birds safe from predators; and
opportunities for you to become
citizen scientists just by watching
birds at your feeder.
WildBirds.com—feeding and attracting
http://www.wildbirds.com
Birding/Wild Birds—backyard birds,
birdhouses and feeders
http://www.birding.about.com/hobbies/birding
Backyard Wildlife Habitats—National Wildlife
Federation
http://www.nwf.org/habitats
Cats Indoors—American Birding Conservancy
http://www.abcbirds.org/cats/catsindoors.htm
North American Bluebird Society
http://www.nabluebirdsociety.org
Purple Martin Conservation Association
http://www.purplemartin.org
BirdSource—FeederWatch and Classroom
FeederWatch
http://birdsource.org
National Bird-Feeding Society
http://www.birdfeeding.org/
Stokes Birds at Home/Birding—feeding,
housing, and gardening
http://www.stokesbirdsathome.com/birding
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service intends no
endorsement and cannot guarantee the
accuracy of information found on these web
sites.
51
Books
Web Sites
Disclaimer
http://birds.fws.gov
March 2001
Revised

Click tabs to swap between content that is broken into logical sections.

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
For the
Birds
Among the fondest and
most memorable
moments of childhood
are the discoveries of
songbirds nesting in
the backyard. The
distinctive, mud-lined
nests of robins and
their beautiful blue
eggs captivate people of
all ages. Likewise, the
nesting activities of
house wrens, cardinals,
chickadees and other
common birds can
stimulate a lifelong
interest in nature.
3
Introduction
As you learn to enjoy the beauty of
birdlife around their home, you may
wish to improve the “habitat” in your
yard so that more birds will visit
your property. You can attract birds
by placing bird feeders, nest boxes,
and bird baths in your yard, and by
planting a variety of trees, shrubs,
and flowers. These can provide good
nesting sites, winter shelter, places
to hide from predators and natural
food supplies that are available
year-round.
Backyard bird feeding is a
convenient way to enjoy wildlife.
More than 65 million Americans of
all ages watch, feed and landscape
for birds.
It doesn’t matter where you live—in
an apartment, townhouse or single
family dwelling, in the city, suburbs
or country. Just stand still and you’ll
hear them: wild birds. It is hard to
imagine life without them.
Bird watching is one of the fastest
growing forms of outdoor recreation
in the country. Each year millions of
people discover for the first time the
joys of birdwatching. It’s easy to
understand why. Birds are fun to
watch.
And you can watch them just about
everywhere. The most convenient
place to start is right in your own
backyard. All it takes to get
their attention is food or water,
a place to build a nest and
appropriate
vegetation.
photo:
Hollingsworth/USFWS
Backyard Bird Feeding
When you want to attract a particular
bird species and keep it coming back
to your backyard, what you do will
be determined by where you live,
and the time of year. For example,
on any winter day, you are likely to
see a cardinal at a sunflower feeder
in Virginia, a goldfinch at a thistle
feeder in Illinois and hummingbirds
at a nectar feeder in southern
California.
A bird field guide has pictures of
different birds and will help you find
the names for the birds you’re likely
to see and the time of year you’re
most likely to see them. So, first
determine what birds are likely to
occur in your area.
4
Getting Started
Feeder Selection
When the ground is covered with
snow and ice, it’s hard to resist
just tossing seed out the door.
But it’s healthier for the birds to
get their handouts at a feeding
station, rather than off the ground.
Regardless of the season, food that
sits on the ground for even a short
time is exposed to contamination
by dampness, mold, bacteria,
animal droppings, lawn fertilizers
and pesticides.
You can start simply with a piece of
scrap wood elevated a few inches
above the ground. Add a few holes for
drainage and you’ve built a platform
feeder. It won’t be long before the
birds find it.
There are several factors to consider
after you’ve decided to feed birds in
your backyard.
5
6
Where do you want to watch your
birds? From a kitchen window. . . a
sliding glass door opening onto a
deck. . . a second-story window?
Pick a location that is easy to get to.
When the weather is bad and birds
are most vulnerable, you may be
reluctant to fill a feeder that is not in
a convenient spot near a door or an
accessible window. Also, pick a site
where discarded seed shells and bird
droppings won’t be a cleanup problem.
Put your feeder where the squirrels
can’t reach. Squirrels become a
problem when they take over a bird
feeder, scaring the birds away and
tossing seed all over. Squirrels have
been known to chew right through
plastic and wooden feeders.
If you’ve seen squirrels in your
neighborhood, it is safe to assume
they will visit your feeder. Think long
and hard before you hang anything
from a tree limb. Squirrels are
incredibly agile, and any feeder
hanging from a tree is likely to
become a squirrel feeder.
In the long run, a squirrel-proof
feeder or any feeder on a pole with a
baffle is the least aggravating solution.
The most effective squirrel-proof
feeder is the pole-mounted metal
“house” type.
Placement
Photo: Kevin
Tennyson,
USDOI
If you must hang a feeder, select a
tube protected with metal mesh.
Most plastic “squirrel-proof ” feeders,
despite manufacturers’ claims, may
eventually succumb to the squirrels.
Any wood or plastic feeder can be
effective when mounted on a pole
with a plastic or metal baffle, if the
pole is at least 10 feet or more from
a tree limb or trunk (squirrels can
jump great distances).
Bird feeders are made from a variety
of materials. You can buy disposable
plastic bag feeders; feeders made
of cloth, nylon, vinyl and metal
netting; clear, lexan, colored and
PVC plastic tubes; ceramic and terra
cotta; redwood, western cedar,
birch, pine and plywood; sheet metal
and aluminized steel; glass tubes
and bottles.
How long a feeder lasts depends on
how well you maintain it, the effects
of weather, and whether squirrels
can get to it. Water can get into any
feeder regardless of how carefully
you protect it. Cloth, vinyl, nylon
and metal netting feeders are
inexpensive, but they do not protect
your seed from spoiling in damp
or wet weather. Improve them by
adding a plastic dome.
Most wood, plastic, ceramic and
solid metal feeders keep seed dry,
but water can get into the feeding
portals. Look for feeders with
drainage holes in the bottoms of both
the feeder hopper and the seed tray.
Even bowl-type feeders and trays
with drainage holes will clog with
seed and bird droppings that can
mix with rainwater and be unhealthy
for any animal. Look for shallow
plate-like seed trays to catch dropped
seeds while allowing spent seed
shells to blow away.
7
Durability
8
When you feed birds, expect bird
droppings and a leftover food mess.
While you do not have to wash the
feeder daily, you should clean it at
least every few weeks. Diseases like
salmonella can grow in moldy, wet
seed and bird droppings in your
feeder tray and on the ground below.
Move your feeder a few feet each
season to give the ground underneath
time to assimilate the seed debris and
bird droppings.
The maintenance required to keep
your feeder clean varies according to
the type of feeder. A thistle feeder for
goldfinches should be cleaned about
once a month depending on how
often it rains. Feeding hummingbirds
requires cleaning at the very least
weekly, but preferably two or three
times a week. Sunflower and suet
feeders need to be cleaned only once
a month.
Plastic, ceramic and glass feeders are
easy to clean. Wash them in a bucket
of hot, soapy water fortified with a
capful or two of chlorine bleach.
Use the same regimen with wood
feeders, but substitute another
disinfectant for the bleach so your
wood won’t fade.
The ideal feeder capacity varies with
your situation, and the types of birds
you want to attract. If you feed
hummingbirds, big feeders are not
always better. One hummingbird
will drink about twice its body
weight (less than an ounce) a day.
Early in the season, hummers are
territorial and won’t share a feeder. A
sixteen-ounce feeder can be wasteful,
or even lethal, because artificial
nectar (sugar water) can ferment in
the hot summer sun. A two-ounce
feeder is more than enough for one
hummer. Increase the size of your
feeder depending on your location
and how many hummers you see in
your yard.
Food Capacity
If you opt for a large-volume seed
feeder, protect it from the weather
and keep it clean. If after months of
use, the birds suddenly abandon your
feeder full of seed, it’s time for a
cleaning.
How Many Birds
If too many birds at your feeder
become a problem, you can control
their numbers by putting out smaller
amounts of seed, or by using
specialty seeds or restrictive feeders
that will attract only certain species.
If you fill your feeder only when it’s
empty, the birds will look for food
elsewhere.
You can encourage small birds and
discourage large birds with feeders
that restrict access. Wood feeders
with vertical bars and feeders
covered with wire mesh frustrate
larger birds.
The most non-selective feeders are
the tray, platform or house feeders
because they allow easy access by
all birds.
Tube feeders without trays also
restrict access to only small birds.
Remove the perches, and you’ve
further restricted the feeder to only
those birds that can easily cling—
finches, chickadees, titmice and
woodpeckers.
9
10
If starlings are a problem at your
suet feeder, discourage them by using
a suet feeder with access only from
the bottom. Starlings are reluctant
to perch upside down. Chickadees
and woodpeckers don’t find that a
problem.
You can virtually eliminate visits by
birds you would rather not see by
offering seeds they won’t eat. If you
use more than one type of seed, put
them in separate feeders. This will
reduce wasted seeds, as birds will
toss unwanted seeds out of a feeder
to get to their favorites.
Watch a feeder filled with a seed mix
and you’ll see the birds methodically
drop or kick out most of the seeds to
get to their favorite—sunflower.
11
Many birds prefer sunflower. Some
prefer millet. A few prefer peanuts.
Sparrows, blackbirds, doves and
juncos will eat the other grains used
in pre-made mixes: corn, milo, red
millet, oats, wheat and canary seed.
Birds will also kick out artificial
“berry” pellets, processed seed
flavored and colored to look like
real fruit.
Black oil sunflower is the hands-down
favorite of all the birds that visit
tube and house feeders. Birds who
visit platform feeders (doves and
sparrows) favor white proso millet.
Ducks, geese and quail will eat corn.
Many cereal grains (corn, milo,
oats, canary, wheat, rape, flax and
buckwheat) in mixed bird seeds are
NOT favorites of birds that visit
tube feeders.
The most effective way to attract the
largest variety of birds to your yard
is to put out separate feeders for
each food:
a starling-resistant suet feeder
a house feeder for sunflower
a bluebird feeder
a wire mesh cage feeder for peanut
a nectar feeder
a tube feeder for thistle
a stationary or tray fruit feeder
a house or platform feeder for millet
12
Suet Feeder
Thistle Feeder
13
Feeding Tray
Nut Feeder
14
Birds Attracted by Various Feeders
and Foods
Tube Feeder with
Black Oil
Sunflower
. . . Adding a
Tray to the Tube
Feeder Will Also
Attract
Tray or Platform
Feeder—with
Millet
Tray or Platform
Feeder—with
Corn
Platform Feeder
or Tube Feeder
and Tray—with
Peanuts
Niger Thistle
Feeder with Tray
Nectar Feeder
goldfinches
chickadees
woodpeckers
nuthatches
cardinals
jays
crossbills
purple finches
house finches
doves
house sparrows
blackbirds
juncos
cowbirds
towhees
starlings
house sparrows
grackles
jays
juncos
bobwhite quail
cardinals
grackles
titmice
starlings
jays
goldfinches
house finches
purple finches
redpolls
pine siskins
doves
hummingbirds
orioles
cardinals
tanagers
titmice
redpolls
pine siskins
woodpeckers
finches
thrushes
white-throated
sparrows
white-crowned
sparrows
white-throated
sparrows
tree sparrows
white-crowned
sparrows
chipping sparrows
doves
ring-necked
pheasants
white-throated
sparrows
chickadees
song sparrows
dark-eyed juncos
white-throated
sparrows
orioles
tanagers
mockingbirds
bluebirds
thrashers
cardinals
woodpeckers
woodpeckers
wrens
chickadees
nuthatches
kinglets
woodpeckers
goldfinches
juncos
cardinals
thrushes
woodpeckers
chickadees
titmice
Uninvited Guests at the Birdfeeder
Once you get your bird feeding
station up and running, you may run
into problems with two kinds of
uninvited guests—those interested in
the seeds (squirrels and chipmunks,
rats and mice, and starlings and
house sparrows), and those
interested in eating a bird for dinner
(cats and hawks).
15
Fruit
Hanging Suet
Feeder
Peanut Butter
Suet
Hanging Peanut
Feeder
jays
starlings
thrushes
cedar waxwings
yellow-breasted
chats
thrashers
creepers
cardinals
starlings
jays
kinglets
bluebirds
wrens
starlings
16
When a squirrel is at the feeder,
you’re not likely to see birds.
Squirrels will scare off the birds
while they eat the seed and
sometimes they will eat the feeder
too. The simplest solution is a
squirrel-proof feeder or pole.
Starlings and house sparrows are not
native to North America and are
aggressive towards other species.
Choose your feeder and seed to
exclude these species if possible.
Chipmunks, rats and mice can also
become a problem where there is
seed spillage under the feeder.
Don’t use mixed bird seed, and if
you don’t have a squirrel problem,
add a feeder tray.
Feral cats and your neighbor’s tabby
are a serious threat to many birds.
Keep feeders away from brushpiles
and shrubbery, as this offers cats the
necessary cover to surprise birds.
If there are no cats in your
neighborhood and you find a pile of
feathers near your feeder, look for a
full-bellied hawk perching on a tree
nearby. Don’t put out poisons or try
to trap hawks though, as this is
against state and federal law.
Questions about Feeding Wild Birds
Usually, whenever the weather is
severe, birds will appreciate a
reliable supplemental food source.
In northern areas, start before the
onset of cold weather so birds have
time to find the feeder.
Although you can feed birds year-round,
especially with fruit and
nectar, you can stop feeding seeds
once a reliable supply of insects is
available in the spring.
There is no evidence that feeding
hummers after Labor Day will delay
migration. Still, feeders in areas with
sub-freezing winter weather should
be removed shortly after that holiday.
Tempting hummers to remain beyond
normal departure dates is ill-advised.
It may take more time for birds to
find window feeders than hanging or
pole-mounted feeders. You may want
to wrap aluminum foil around the top
of the feeder hanger. Sometimes all it
takes is the reflection of light on the
foil to catch their attention.
When birds desert your feeder, it
may be simply that a lot of natural
food is available nearby. Or
something may be wrong, such as
spoiled seeds or a contaminated
feeder. Throw the seeds away and
wash the feeder. Look at where your
feeder is placed. Be sure it’s not
vulnerable to predators. At the same
time, make sure it is not in an open
area, away from the cover in which
birds usually travel.
Birds don’t have sweat glands in their
feet, so they won’t freeze onto metal
feeders. There’s no need to cover
any metal feeders parts with plastic
or wood to protect birds’ feet,
tongues or eyes.
17
When is the best
time to start?
When’s the best
time to stop?
Is it best to
stop feeding
hummingbirds
after Labor Day?
How long does it
take for birds to
find a feeder?
My feeder is full
of seeds. I haven’t
seen a bird in
months. Am I
doing something
wrong?
Will birds’ feet
stick to metal
feeders and
perches in the
wet winter
weather?
18
Birds have no teeth to grind their
food. The dirt, sand, pebbles and
grit they eat sit in their crop and
help grind up their food. Adding
grit to your feeder is helpful,
particularly in the winter and spring.
Crushed eggshells do the same thing,
and in the spring have an added
benefit: they provide birds with
extra calcium for producing eggs of
their own.
There is no evidence that birds can
choke on peanut butter. However,
birds have no salivary glands. You
can make it easier on them by mixing
peanut butter with lard, cornmeal or
grit. Your birds will appreciate
drinking water too, from a bird bath
or trough.
In the winter, raw beef fat from the
local butcher is all you need for your
suet feeder. When temperatures rise,
raw fat can melt and get rancid. It’s
safer to use commercially rendered
suet cakes in the spring and summer
months. Rendering (boiling) the fat
kills bacteria.
You can make your own hummingbird
nectar by adding 1/4 cup of sugar to a
cup of boiling water. Remember,
sugar water will ferment when left in
the hot sun, turning nectar deadly.
Do not put out a nectar feeder if you
are not willing to clean it at least
weekly, preferably twice a week.
Hummers eat insects for their
protein. There is no evidence that
these tiny birds need vitamin and
mineral supplements. There is also
no evidence that adding red food
coloring to nectar will harm the
birds, but it probably is not necessary
to attract them. Just put your
feeder near red flowers or buy a red
hummingbird feeder.
Do wild birds
need grit?
Can birds choke
on peanut
butter?
Won’t suet go bad
in the summer?
What is
hummingbird
nectar? Do
hummers need
nectar fortified
with vitamins
and minerals?
Bees will inevitably visit your
hummingbird feeder, especially in
hot weather. Little plastic bee guards
may help keep them from getting
nectar but it won’t stop them from
trying. Don’t take the chance of
contaminating your nectar by
putting vegetable oil around the
feeding portals. One solution is to
add a few small feeders away from
where people are likely to be
bothered by bees.
Birds will come right to your window.
Sometimes it takes a while for them
to overcome their initial reluctance,
so be patient. Don’t worry that a
feeder on the window will cause
birds to fly into the window. Birds fly
into the window because they see
the reflection of the woods. Window
feeders and decals help break up
the reflection.
No. The red or pink coating is
capstan, a fungicide used on seeds
meant for planting. If you buy a bag
of cracked corn or other seed treated
with capstan, return it to the store.
It can kill horses, other mammals
and wild birds.
Moths lay their eggs in sunflower
seeds. The eggs lay dormant as long
as the seeds are stored in a cool dry
place. In the summer, seeds get hot
and the eggs hatch. The best way
to avoid this problem is to buy seeds
in smaller quantities, or store your
seeds in a cool, dry place. It also
helps to know where your retailer
stores the seed. An air-conditioned
storage unit is the better choice.
Insects also lay their eggs in burlap
bags. Don’t buy seeds in burlap bags.
Don’t buy seed in paper and plastic
bags with patched holes. That may be
a sign of insect or rodent infestation.
19
How can I avoid
bees at my
hummingbird
feeder?
How close to my
window can I put
a feeder?
Is cracked corn
coated with a red
dye safe to use?
I bought a bag of
sunflower seeds
early in the
spring. Over the
summer I first
noticed worms,
then moths. What
can I do to keep
the bugs out?
20
Homes for Birds
Many of the birds that visit feeders
and baths may stay and nest in
nearby trees. Most of them, including
cardinals, doves and orioles, don’t
nest in boxes. You can still help
them by considering their food and
shelter requirements in your
landscape plans.
More than two dozen North
American birds nest in bird houses.
The following descriptions will help
you determine which birds might
visit your neighborhood.
If you put up a bluebird house near
an old field, orchard, park, cemetery
or golf course, you might have a
chance of attracting a pair of
bluebirds. They prefer nest boxes on
a tree stump or wooden fence post
between three and five feet high.
Bluebirds also nest in abandoned
woodpecker nest holes.
The most important measurement is
the hole diameter. An inch and a half
is small enough to deter starlings,
which, along with house sparrows,
have been known to kill bluebirds, as
well as adults sitting on the nest.
Bluebirds have problems with other
animals too. Discourage cats, snakes,
raccoons and chipmunks by mounting
the house on a metal pole, or use a
metal predator guard on a wood post.
The robin is our largest thrush.
They prefer to build their nest in the
crotch of a tree. If you don’t have an
appropriate tree, you can offer a
nesting platform. Pick a spot six
feet or higher up on a shaded tree
trunk or under the overhang of a
shed or porch. Creating a “mud
puddle” nearby offers further
enticement, as robins use mud to hold
their nests together.
Birds You Can
Attract to Nest
Boxes
Bluebirds
American Robins
Chickadees, titmice and nuthatches
share the same food, feeders, and
habitat. If you put a properly
designed nest box in a wooded yard,
at least one of these species might
check it out.
Put chickadee houses at eye level.
Hang them from limbs or secure
them to tree trunks. The entrance
hole should be 11/8 inches to attract
chickadees, yet exclude house
sparrows. Anchor houses for
nuthatches on tree trunks five to six
feet off the ground.
21
Chickadees,
Nuthatches
and Titmice
Look for brown creepers to nest
behind the curved bark of tree
trunks. In heavily wooded yards, slab
bark houses appeal to creepers.
Prothonotary warblers also prefer
slab bark houses, or bluebird boxes
attached to a tree trunk, but theirs
must be placed over water (lakes,
rivers or swamps) with a good canopy
of trees overhead.
Brown Creepers
and
Prothonotary
Warblers
22
Wrens don’t seem to be very picky
about where they nest. Try nest
boxes with a 1 inch x 2 inch horizontal
slot (11/2 inch x 21/2 inch for the larger
Carolina wrens) instead of a circle.
These are easier for the wrens to use.
However, the larger the opening, the
more likely it is house sparrows will
occupy the box.
Wrens are known for filling a nest
cavity with twigs, regardless of
whether they use the nest to raise
their young. Since male house wrens
build several nests for the female to
choose from, hang several nest
boxes at eye level on partly sunlit
tree limbs. Wrens are sociable and
will accept nest boxes quite close to
your house.
Wrens
Tree swallows prefer nest boxes
attached to dead trees. Space the
boxes about seven feet apart for
these white-bellied birds with
iridescent blue-green backs and
wings. The ideal setting for these
insect-eaters is on the edge of a large
field near a lake, pond or river.
Violet-green swallows nest in forested
mountains of the West; boxes
placed on large trees in a semi-open
woodland will attract them.
If you have the right habitat, like an
open barn or old shed, barn swallows
and phoebes are easy to attract.
It’s their nesting behavior, not their
plumage or song, that catches your
attention. However, these birds tend
to nest where you would rather not
have them: on a ledge right over
your front door. To avoid a mess by
your door, offer the birds a nesting
shelf nearby where you’d rather
have them.
23
Tree and Violet-green
Swallows
Barn Swallows
and Phoebes
24
Many people want martins in their
yards because, it’s been said, these
birds eat 2,000 mosquitoes a day.
While it’s true that they eat flying
insects, don’t expect purple martins
to eliminate mosquitoes in your yard
completely. Martins prefer
dragonflies, which prey on mosquito
larvae. If you want to help rid your
yard of mosquitoes, put up a bat
roosting box. One bat can eat
thousands of mosquitoes a night.
Martins are entertaining creatures,
however, and you’ll enjoy watching
their antics in your backyard. You
have the best chance of attracting
martins if you put a house on the
edge of a pond or river, surrounded
by a field or lawn. Martins need
a radius of about 40 feet of
unobstructed flying space around
their houses. A telephone wire
nearby gives them a place to perch
in sociable groups.
Martins nest in groups, so you’ll need
a house with a minimum of four large
rooms—6 or more inches on all
sides, with a 2 1/2 inch entrance hole
about 11/2 inches above the floor.
Ventilation and drainage are critical
factors in martin house design.
Porches, railings, porch dividers
and supplemental roof perches, like
a TV antenna, make any house
more appealing.
You can also make houses from
gourds by fashioning an entrance
hole and small holes in the bottom
for drainage. If you use gourds, it’s
not necessary to add railings and
perches. Adult martins will perch on
the wire used to hang the houses.
Before you select a house, think
about what kind of pole you’re going
to put it on. Martins occupy a house
ten to twenty feet off the ground.
Some poles are less cumbersome
than others.
Purple Martins
Gourd houses are the easiest to set
up. String them from a wire between
two poles, from a sectional aluminum
pole, or on pulleys mounted to a
crossbar high up on a pole.
You can mount lightweight aluminum
houses for martins on telescoping
poles, providing easy access for
maintenance and inspection. Because
of their weight (more than 30
pounds), wood houses should not be
mounted on telescoping poles. You’ll
have to use a sturdy metal or a wood
pole attached to a pivot post. The
problem with this lowering technique
is that you can’t tilt the house without
damaging the nests inside. If you put
your house on a shorter, fixed pole,
ten to twelve feet high, you can use a
ladder to inspect and maintain it.
The great crested flycatcher and its
western cousin, the ash-throated
flycatcher, are common in wooded
suburbs and rural areas with
woodlots. Their natural nesting sites
are abandoned woodpecker holes.
Flycatchers may nest in a bird
house if it is placed about ten feet
up in a tree in an orchard or at the
edge of a field or stream. This is a
longshot, but well worth the effort if
you are successful.
You can attract all types of
woodpeckers with a suet feeder, but
only the flicker is likely to use a
bird house. They prefer a box with
roughened interior and a floor
covered with a two-inch layer of
wood chips or coarse sawdust.
Flickers are especially attracted to
nest boxes filled with sawdust, which
they “excavate” to suit themselves.
For best results, place the box
high up on a tree trunk, exposed to
direct sunlight.
25
Flycatchers
Woodpeckers
26
Try building a birdhouse for the
other species of woodpeckers
following the guidelines in this
booklet. You might be surprised!
Most owls seldom build their own
nests. Great horned and long-eared
owls prefer abandoned crow and
hawk nests. Other owls (barred, barn,
saw-whet, boreal and screech) nest in
tree cavities and bird houses.
Barn owls are best known for
selecting nesting sites near farms.
Where trees are sparse, these birds
will nest in church steeples, silos
and barns. If you live near a farm or
a golf course, try fastening a nest
box for owls about 15 feet up on a
tree trunk.
Screech owls prefer abandoned
woodpecker holes at the edge of a
field or neglected orchard. They will
readily take to boxes lined with an
inch or two of wood shavings. If you
clean the box out in late spring after
the young owls have fledged, you may
attract a second tenant—a kestrel.
Trees isolated from larger tracts of
woods have less chance of squirrels
taking over the box.
Owls
Selecting a House
In the bird house business, there’s
no such thing as “one size fits all.”
Decide which bird you want to
attract, then get a house for that
particular bird. Look through any
book or catalog and you’ll see bird
houses of all sizes and shapes,
with perches and without, made of
materials you might not have
thought of: recycled paper, gourds,
plastic, rubber, pottery, metal and
concrete. The proper combination
of quality materials and design
makes a good birdhouse.
27
Materials
Wood is just about the best building
material for any birdhouse. It’s
durable, has good insulating qualities
and breathes. Three-quarter-inch
thick bald cypress and red cedar are
recommended. Pine and exterior
grade plywood will do, but they are
not as durable.
It makes no difference whether the
wood is slab, rough-cut or finished,
as long as the inside has not been
treated with stains or preservatives.
Fumes from the chemicals could
harm the birds.
photo: Bill French/
USFWS
28
There’s no need to paint cypress and
cedar, but pine and plywood houses
will last longer with a coat of water-based
exterior latex paint. White is
the color for purple martin houses.
Tan, gray or dull green works best
for the other cavity nesting species.
The dull, light colors reflect heat and
are less conspicuous to predators.
Don’t paint the inside of the box or
the entrance hole.
Regardless of which wood you select,
gluing all the joints before you nail
them will extend the life of your bird
house. Galvanized or brass shank
nails, hinges and screws resist
rusting and hold boxes together more
tightly as they age.
Resist the temptation to put a metal
roof on your bird house. Reflective
metal makes sense for martin houses
up on a sixteen-foot pole, but when
it’s tacked onto the roof of a wood
chickadee house, the shiny metal is
more likely to attract predators.
Natural gourds make very attractive
bird houses. They breathe, and
because they sway in the wind they
are less likely to be taken over by
house sparrows and starlings.
Grow your own gourds and you’ll
have dozens to choose from in the
years ahead. If you don’t have the
space to grow them, a coat of
polyurethane or exterior latex (on the
outside only) will add years to the one
you have.
Properly designed pottery, aluminum
(for purple martins only), concrete
and plastic houses are durable, but
don’t drop them.
Be sure to provide ventilation,
drainage, and easy access for
maintenance and monitoring.
Concrete (or a mix of concrete and
sawdust) offers protection other
houses cannot: squirrels can’t chew
their way in.
Design
How elaborate you make your bird
house depends on your own tastes. In
addition to where you place the box,
the most important considerations
are: box height, depth, floor
dimensions, diameter of entrance
hole and height of the hole above the
box floor.
Refer to the following chart before
building your nest box, keeping in
mind that birds make their own
choices, without regard for charts.
So don’t be surprised if you find
tenants you never expected in a
house you intended for someone else.
Now that you have the correct
dimensions for your bird house,
take a look at how to make it safe:
ventilation, drainage, susceptibly to
predators, and ease of maintenance.
29
30
Nest Box Dimensions
Floor Depth
size (top to bottom)
Species (inches) (inches)
American Robin* 7x8 8
Eastern &
Western
Bluebirds 5x5 8–12
Mountain
Bluebird 5x5 8–12
Chickadee 4x4 8–10
Titmouse 4x4 10–12
Ash-throated
Flycatcher 6x6 8–12
Great Crested
Flycatcher 6x6 8–12
Phoebe* 6x6 6
Brown-headed/
Pygmy/
Red-breasted
Nuthatch 4x4 8–10
White-breasted
Nuthatch 4x4 8–10
Prothonotary
Warbler 5x5 6
Barn Swallow* 6x6 6
Purple Martin 6x6 6
Tree and Violet-
Green Swallows 5x5 6–8
*Use nesting shelf, platform with three sides and
an open front
31
Entrance Height Entrance Height
above floor Diameter above ground
(inches) (inches) (feet)
—– —–
6–10 11/2 4–6
6–10 11/2 4–6
6–8 11/8 4–15
6–10 11/4 5–15
6–10 11/2 5–15
6–10 13/4 5–15
—– —– 8–12
6–8 11/4 5–15
6–8 13/8 5–15
4–5 11/8 4–8
—– —– 8–12
1–2 21/4 6–20
4–6 11/2 5–15
32
Floor Depth
size (top to bottom)
Species (inches) (inches)
Downy
Woodpecker 4x4 8–10
Hairy
Woodpecker 6x6 12–15
Lewis’s
Woodpecker 7x7 16–18
Northern
Flicker 7x7 16–18
Pileated
Woodpecker 8x8 16–24
Red–Headed
Woodpecker 6x6 12–15
Yellow–bellied
Sapsucker 5x5 12–15
Bewick’s/
House Wrens 4x4 6–8
Carolina Wren 4x4 6–8
Barn Owl 10x18 15–18
Screech–Owl
and Kestrel 8x8 12–15
Osprey 48x48 (platform)
Red–tailed
Hawk/Great
Horned Owl 24x24 platform
Wood Duck 10x18 10–24
*Use nesting shelf, platform with three sides and
an open front
33
Entrance Height Entrance Height
above floor Diameter above ground
(inches) (inches) (feet)
6–8 11/4 5–15
9–12 1 1/2 8–20
14–16 21/2 12–20
14–16 21/2 6–20
12–20 3x4 15–25
9–12 2 10–20
9–12 11/2 10–20
4–6 11/4 5–10
4–6 11/2 5–10
4 6 12–18
9–12 3 10–30
12–16 4 10–20
34
You should provide air vents in bird
boxes. There are two ways to provide
ventilation: leave gaps between the
roof and sides of the box, or drill 1/4
inch holes just below the roof.
Water becomes a problem when it sits
in the bottom of a bird house. A roof
with sufficient slope and overhang
offers some protection. Drilling the
entrance hole on an upward slant
may also help keep the water out.
Regardless of design, driving rain
will get in through the entrance hole.
You can assure proper drainage by
cutting away the corners of the box
floor and drilling 1/4-inch holes. Nest
boxes will last longer if the floors are
recessed about 1/4 inch.
Look for the entrance hole on the
front panel near the top. A rough
surface both inside and out makes it
easier for the adults to get into the
box and, when it’s time, for the
nestlings to climb out.
If your box is made of finished wood,
add a couple of grooves outside below
the hole. Open the front panel and
add grooves, cleats or wire mesh to
the inside. Never put up a bird house
with a perch below the entrance
hole. Perches offer starlings, house
sparrows and other predators a
convenient place to wait for lunch.
Don’t be tempted by duplexes or
houses that have more than one
entrance hole. Except for purple
martins, cavity-nesting birds prefer
not to share a house. While these
condos look great in your yard,
starlings and house sparrows are
inclined to use them.
Ventilation
Drainage
Entrance Hole
Bird houses should be easily
accessible so you can see how your
birds are doing and clean out the
house. Monitor your bird houses
every week and evict unwanted
creatures such as house sparrows
or starlings.
Be careful when you inspect your
bird boxes—you may find something
other than a bird inside. Don’t be
surprised to see squirrels, mice,
snakes or insects. Look for fleas,
flies, mites, larvae and lice in the
bottom of the box. If you find insects
and parasites, your first reaction may
be to grab the nearest can of insect
spray. If you do, use only insecticides
known to be safe around birds:
1 percent rotenone powder or
pyrethrin spray. If wasps are a
problem, coat the inside top of the
box with bar soap.
35
Accessibility
Here’s how to check your nest boxes
for unwanted visitors:
Watch the nest for 20–30 minutes. If
you don’t see or hear any birds near
the box, go over and tap on the box.
If you hear bird sounds, open the
top and take a quick peek inside. If
everything is all right, close the box.
If you see problems (parasites or
predators), remove them and close
the box.
36
A bird house with easy access makes
the job simple. Most bird houses can
be opened from the top, the side, the
front or the bottom. Boxes that open
from the top and the front provide
the easiest access. Opening the box
from the top is less likely to disturb
nesting birds. It’s impossible to open
a box from the bottom without the
nest falling out. While side- and
front-opening boxes are convenient
for cleaning and monitoring, they
have one drawback: the nestlings
may jump out. If this happens, don’t
panic. Pick them up and put them
back in the nest. Don’t worry that the
adults will reject the nestlings if you
handle them. That’s a myth; most
birds have a terrible sense of smell.
If you clean out your nest boxes after
each brood has fledged, several pairs
may use the nest throughout the
summer. Some cavity-nesting birds
will not nest again in a box full of old
nesting material.
In the fall, after you’ve cleaned out
your nest box for the last time, you
can put it in storage or leave it out.
Gourds and pottery last longer if you
take them in for the winter. You can
leave your purple martin houses up,
but plug the entrance holes to
discourage starlings and house
sparrows.
Leaving your wood and concrete
houses out provides shelter for birds,
flying squirrels and other animals
during winter. Each spring,
thoroughly clean all houses left out
for the winter.
Proper box depth, and roof and
entrance hole design will help
reduce access by predators, such as
raccoons, cats, opossums, and
squirrels. Sometimes all it takes is an
angled roof with a three-inch
overhang to discourage small
mammals.
The entrance hole is the only thing
between a predator and a bird house
full of nestlings. By itself, the 3/4-inch
wall is not wide enough to keep out
the arm of a raccoon or house cat.
Add a predator guard (a 3/4-inch thick
rectangular wood block with an
entrance hole cut in it) to thicken the
wall and you’ll discourage sparrows,
starlings, and cats.
Bird House Placement
Where you put your bird house is as
important as its design and
construction. Cavity-nesting birds are
very particular about where they live.
If you don’t have the right habitat,
the birds are not likely to find the
house. You can modify your land to
attract the birds you want to see by
putting out a bird bath, planting
fruit-bearing shrubs, including more
trees or installing a pond with a
waterfall.
37
Limiting
Predator Access
38
Once you’ve matched up the right
bird house with the appropriate
habitat, you have to know where to
put the nest box. Should you hang it
from a tree limb, nail it to a fence or
mount it on a pole or a tree trunk?
Most species require a fairly narrow
range of heights for nest boxes. After
checking the table in this brochure,
pick a height that’s convenient for
you. After all, you will want to watch
what goes on and keep the box clean.
If you want to watch chickadees from
your second floor window or deck,
fifteen feet is reasonable but it’s a lot
easier to clean out a box at eye level.
Here are some tips on where to put
bird houses:
don’t put bird houses near bird
feeders.
houses mounted on metal poles are
less vulnerable to predators than
houses nailed to tree trunks or hung
from tree limbs.
use no more than four small nest
boxes or one large box per acre for
any one species.
put about 100 yards between bluebird
boxes and 75 yards between swallow
boxes. (If you have both species, pair
the houses with one bluebird box 25
feet from a swallow box.)
don’t put more than one box in a tree
unless the tree is extremely large or
the boxes are for different species.
if you have very hot summers, face
the entrance holes of your boxes
north or east to avoid overheating
the box.
Protection from Predators
Nesting birds are extremely
vulnerable to cats, as are fledglings
and birds roosting for the night.
Bell collars on cats offer birds little
protection. Nailing a sheet metal
guard or cone to a tree trunk is
unsightly, but may deter less agile
felines. Houses mounted on metal
poles are the most difficult for
predators to reach, especially if you
smear the poles with a petroleum
jelly and hot pepper mixture. The
best deterrent is for owners to keep
their cats inside whenever possible.
Pet dogs are a hazard to nestlings
in the spring and summer. Don’t
let your dog run loose during
nesting time.
Red squirrels, and sometimes gray
squirrels, can become a serious
menace to bird houses and the birds
themselves. If you find your nest hole
enlarged, chances are a red squirrel
is the culprit. Once inside the box,
squirrels make a meal of the eggs
and young. Adding a predator guard
made of sheet metal to the entrance
hole is usually enough to keep
squirrels out.
Raccoons and opossums will stick
their arms inside nest boxes and try
to pull out the adult, young, and
eggs. Adding a 3/4-inch thick predator
guard to the bird house or an
inverted cone to its pole support is a
simple solution.
Snakes play an important part in the
balance of nature. If you find one in
your bird house, don’t kill it. Snake-proof
your house by putting it on a
metal pole lathered with petroleum
jelly or red cayenne pepper.
39
Cats
Dogs
Squirrels
Raccoons and
Opossums
Snakes
40
If you don’t discourage them, these
two nuisance species introduced
from Europe will harass or kill
cavity-nesting birds. Since house
sparrows and starlings are not
protected by law, you may destroy
their nests. But remember, other
birds are protected by law.
House wrens sometimes interfere
with the nesting success of other
birds by puncturing their eggs.
But, unlike the house sparrow and
starling, these birds are native to
North America and are protected by
law. Don’t be tempted to intervene
when wrens appear at your
backyard birdhouse.
Many insects lay their eggs and
pupate in bird houses. Inspect your
bird houses for signs of gypsy moths,
blow flies, wasps, ants, gnats and
bees. Keep bees and wasps from
attaching their nests by coating the
inside of the roof with bar soap. In
areas where gypsy moths abound,
avoid placing boxes in oak trees,
which the gypsy moths favor.
Pyrethrin and rotenone insecticides
are recommended for killing fly
larvae, bird lice and mites after birds
have finished nesting for the season.
Attracting Birds
As people learn to enjoy the beauty
of birds around their home, they may
wish to improve the “habitat” in their
yard so that more birds will visit
their property. You can attract birds
by placing bird feeders, nest boxes
and bird baths in your yard, and by
planting a variety of trees, shrubs,
and flowers. These can provide good
nesting sites, winter shelter, places
to hide from predators and natural
food supplies that are available
year-round.
House Sparrows
and Starlings
House Wrens
Insects
Landscaping for Birds
The most surefire way to attract
birds to your backyard is to make
certain the appropriate habitat is
available to them. You may be lucky
and already have a good supply of
food, shelter, and water available for
our feathered friends. In that case,
you have to do little more than stand
back and watch.
However, for most backyards, bird
habitat must be created. It’s called
“landscaping for birds” and it can
be as simple or extravagant as
you wish. Whatever the approach,
anyone who has ever tried this type
of landscaping comes away with a
real love for it after their first
sparkling hummingbirds hover at
the coral bells, or the perky catbird
comes down for a drink of water from
the birdbath, or the sleek waxwings
gather en masse to sample
bittersweet berries.
41
Wildlife photography is a wonderful
hobby for people of all ages.
Try keeping a list of all the birds you
see in your yard or from your yard.
Some people have counted nearly 200
species of birds in their yard!
Birds such as tree swallows, house
wrens, brown thrashers and orioles
eat a variety of insects.
42
Benefits of Landscaping for Birds
You can derive many benefits from
landscaping to attract birds to your
yard:
You can probably double the number
of bird species using your property
with a good landscaping plan.
By carefully arranging your conifer
and hardwood trees, you can lower
winter heating and summer cooling
bills for your house.
Certain landscape plants can prevent
soil erosion.
A good landscaping plan contributes
to a beautiful, natural setting around
your home that is pleasing to people
as well as birds.
Increased
Wildlife
Populations
Energy
Conservation
Soil
Conservation
Natural Beauty
Wildlife
Photography
Birdwatching
Natural Insect
Control
Some plants that attract wildlife
are also appealing to humans.
People and wildlife can share
cherries, chokecherries, strawberries,
and crabapples.
A good landscaping plan can greatly
increase the value of your property
by adding natural beauty and an
abundance of wildlife.
Some of the best wildlife habitats are
the best habitats for young people to
discover the wonders of nature. A
backyard bird habitat can stimulate
young people to develop a lifelong
interest in wildlife and conservation.
Basics of Landscaping for Birds
Landscaping for birds involves nine
basic principles:
Every bird species has its own unique
food requirements that may change
as the seasons change. Learn the
food habits of the birds you wish to
attract. Then plant the appropriate
trees, shrubs, and flowers to provide
the fruits, berries, seeds, acorns, nuts
and nectar.
You may be able to double the
number of bird species in your
yard by providing a source of water.
A frog pond, water garden, or
bird bath will get lots of bird use,
especially if the water is dripping,
splashing or moving.
Birds need places where they can
hide from predators and escape from
severe weather. Trees (including dead
ones), shrubs, tall grass and bird
houses provide excellent shelter.
The best landscaping plan is one
that includes a variety of native
plants. This helps attract the most
bird species.
43
Food Production
Property Value
Habitat for Kids
Food
Water
Shelter
Diversity
44
Give birds food and shelter
throughout the year by planting a
variety of trees, shrubs and flowers
that provide year-round benefits.
Properly arrange the different
habitat components in your yard.
Consider the effects of prevailing
winds (and snow drifting) so your
yard will be protected from harsh
winter weather.
Birds should be protected from
unnecessary mortality. When
choosing the placement of bird
feeders and nest boxes, consider their
accessibility to predators. Picture
windows can also be dangerous for
birds, who fly directly at windows
when they see the reflection of trees
and shrubs. A network of parallel,
vertical strings spaced 4 inches
apart can be placed on the outside of
windows to prevent this problem. Be
cautious about the kinds of herbicides
and pesticides used in your yard.
Apply them only when necessary
and strictly according to label
instructions. In fact, try gardening
and lawn care without using
pesticides. Details can be found in
gardening books at the library.
When considering plants not native to
your area, consult a plant hardiness
zone map, found in most garden
catalogues. Make sure the plants
you want are rated for the winter
hardiness zone classification of
your area.
Consult your local garden center,
university or county extension office
to have your soil tested. Plant species
are often adapted to certain types
of soils. If you know what type of
soil you have, you can identify the
types of plants that will grow best in
your yard.
Four Seasons
Arrangement
Protection
Hardiness Zones
Soils and
Topography
Plants for Wild Birds
Seven types of plants are important
as bird habitat:
Conifers are evergreen trees and
shrubs that include pines, spruces,
firs, arborvitae, junipers, cedars, and
yews. These plants are important as
escape cover, winter shelter and
summer nesting sites. Some also
provide sap, fruits and seeds.
Grasses and legumes can provide
cover for ground nesting birds—but
only if the area is not mowed during
the nesting season. Some grasses
and legumes provide seeds as well.
Native prairie grasses are becoming
increasingly popular for landscaping
purposes.
Nectar-producing plants are very
popular for attracting hummingbirds
and orioles. Flowers with tubular red
corollas are especially attractive to
hummingbirds. Other trees, shrubs,
vines and flowers also can provide
nectar for hummingbirds.
This category includes plants that
produce fruits or berries from May
through August. In the summer these
plants can attract brown thrashers,
catbirds, robins, thrushes, waxwings,
woodpeckers, orioles, cardinals,
towhees and grosbeaks. Examples of
summer-fruiting plants are various
species of cherry, chokecherry,
honeysuckle, raspberry, serviceberry,
blackberry, blueberry, grape,
mulberry, plum and elderberry.
45
Conifers
Grasses and
Legumes
Nectar-producing
Plants
Summer-fruiting
Plants
46
This landscape component includes
shrubs and vines whose fruits ripen
in the fall. These foods are important
both for migratory birds which build
up fat reserves before migration and
as a food source for nonmigratory
species that need to enter the winter
season in good physical condition.
Fall-fruiting plants include dogwoods,
mountain ash, winter-berries,
cottoneasters and buffalo-berries.
Winter-fruiting plants are those
whose fruits remain attached to the
plants long after they first become
ripe in the fall. Many are not
palatable until they have frozen and
thawed many times. Examples are
glossy black chokecherry, Siberian
and “red splendor” crabapple,
snowberry, bittersweet, sumacs,
American highbush cranberry,
eastern and European wahoo,
Virginia creeper, and Chinaberry.
These include oaks, hickories,
buckeyes, chestnuts, butternuts,
walnuts and hazels. A variety of
birds, such as jays, woodpeckers and
titmice, eat the meats of broken nuts
and acorns These plants also
contribute to good nesting habitat.
How to Get Started
Think of this project as landscaping
for birds. Your goal will be to plant
an assortment of trees, shrubs and
flowers that will attract birds. If you
plan carefully it can be inexpensive
and fun for the whole family. The
best way to get started is to follow
these guidelines:
Decide what types of birds you wish
to attract, then build your plan
around the needs of those species.
Talk to friends and neighbors to
find out what kinds of birds frequent
your area. Attend a local bird
club meeting and talk to local
birdwatchers about how they have
attracted birds to their yards.
Fall-fruiting
Plants
Winter-fruiting
Plants
Nut and Acorn
Plants
Set Your
Priorities
Check with the botany department
of a nearby college or university or
with your state’s natural heritage
program for lists of trees, shrubs,
and wildflowers native to your area.
Use this list as a starting point for
your landscape plan. These plants are
naturally adapted to the climate of
your area and are a good long-term
investment. Many native plants are
both beautiful for landscaping
purposes and excellent for birds.
If you include nonnative plant species
in your plan, be sure they are not
considered “invasive pests” by plant
experts. Check out the bird books in
your local library.
Draw a map of your property to scale
using graph paper. Identify buildings,
sidewalks, power lines, buried cables,
fences, septic tank fields, trees,
shrubs and patios. Consider how
your plan relates to your neighbor’s
property—will the tree you plant
shade out the neighbor’s vegetable
garden? Identify and map sunny or
shady sites, low or wet sites, sandy
sites, and native plants that will be
left in place.
Also identify special views that
you wish to enhance—areas for
pets, benches, picnics, storage,
playing, sledding, vegetable gardens
and paths.
Get your soil tested by your local
garden center, county extension
agent or soil conservation service.
Find out what kinds of soil you have
and then find out if your soils have
nutrient or organic deficiencies that
fertilization or addition of compost
can correct. The soils you have will
help determine the plants which can
be included in your landscaping plan.
47
Use Native
Plants When
Possible
Draw a Map of
Your Property
Get Your Soil
Tested
48
Review the seven plant components
described previously. Which
components are already present?
Which ones are missing? Remember
that you are trying to provide food
and cover through all four seasons.
Develop a list of plants that you think
will provide the missing habitat
components.
Review this plant list with
landscaping resource experts who can
match your ideas with your soil types,
soil drainage and the plants available
through state or private nurseries.
People at the nearby arboretum can
help with your selections. At an
arboretum you can also see what
many plants look like. Talk with local
bird clubs, the members of which
probably are knowledgeable about
landscaping for birds.
Sketch on your map the plants you
wish to add. Draw trees to a scale
that represents three-fourths of their
mature width, and shrubs at their full
mature width. This will help you
calculate how many trees and shrubs
you need. There is a tendency to
include so many trees that eventually
your yard will be mostly shaded. Be
sure to leave open sunny sites where
flowers and shrubs can thrive. Decide
how much money you can spend and
the time span of your project. Don’t
try to do too much at once. You might
try a five-year development plan.
Finally, go to it! Begin your plantings
and include your entire family so they
can all feel they are helping wildlife.
Document your plantings on paper
and by photographs. Try taking
pictures of your yard from the same
spots every year to document the
growth of your plants.
Review the Seven
Plant Habitat
Components
Talk to Resource
Experts
Develop Your
Planting Plan
Implement Your
Plan
Keep your new trees, shrubs and
flowers adequately watered, and keep
your planting areas weed-free by use
of landscaping film and wood chips or
shredded bark mulch. This avoids the
use of herbicides for weed control.
If problems develop with your plants,
consult a local nursery, garden center
or county extension agent.
Make sure to take the time to enjoy
the wildlife that will eventually
respond to your landscaping efforts.
Protecting Bird Habitat
Each year your state wildlife agency,
private conservation groups, the
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, other
federal agencies, and many private
landowners and business leaders
work together to conserve and
manage millions of acres of habitat—
swamps, forests, ponds and
grasslands. These habitats provide
nesting habitat for songbirds and
shorebirds, ducks and geese, hawks
and owls.
You can make a difference in helping
protect habitats for migratory birds
by joining a national, regional or
local wildlife or habitat conservation
organization. Also, each year
thousands of individuals throughout
the western hemisphere celebrate
International Migratory Bird Day
(IMBD) through bird festivals, walks
and counts. Held annually on the
second Saturday in May, IMBD is
the hallmark event of Partners in
Flight, an international coalition
of federal, state, local government
and non-government agencies and
organizations, industry, the academic
community, and private individuals.
Partners in Flight’s mission is to
reverse the declines of some
49
Maintain Your
Plan
And Finally . . .
50
migratory bird species and raise
awareness of the important role
that migratory birds play in our
lives. Look for an IMBD event in
your area. For more information
about IMBD, Partners in Flight
or migratory bird related issues,
contact U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service, Division of Migratory Bird
Management, 4401 North Fairfax
Drive, Suite 634, Arlington, VA 22203
or visit http://birds.fws.gov.
Another way that you can help
preserve a disappearing but valuable
natural resource—wetlands—is by
buying Federal Duck Stamps at your
local post office. Money from sales
of these stamps is used to protect
wetlands. For more information,
write U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service,
Federal Duck Stamp Office,
1849 C Street, NW, Washington, DC
20240. http://duckstamps.fws.gov.
All photos copyright Maslowski
Photo, Inc. except as noted.
Additional Resources
A large variety of books are available
on attracting, housing, feeding, and
gardening for birds. Check your local
library, book store, or the Internet,
for a selection of books on attracting
birds to your yard.
There are many good on-line
resources for bird enthusiasts.
Below are a few useful web sites that
discuss some of the more popular
backyard birds; general information
on bird feeding, housing, and
gardening for birds; ways to keep
birds safe from predators; and
opportunities for you to become
citizen scientists just by watching
birds at your feeder.
WildBirds.com—feeding and attracting
http://www.wildbirds.com
Birding/Wild Birds—backyard birds,
birdhouses and feeders
http://www.birding.about.com/hobbies/birding
Backyard Wildlife Habitats—National Wildlife
Federation
http://www.nwf.org/habitats
Cats Indoors—American Birding Conservancy
http://www.abcbirds.org/cats/catsindoors.htm
North American Bluebird Society
http://www.nabluebirdsociety.org
Purple Martin Conservation Association
http://www.purplemartin.org
BirdSource—FeederWatch and Classroom
FeederWatch
http://birdsource.org
National Bird-Feeding Society
http://www.birdfeeding.org/
Stokes Birds at Home/Birding—feeding,
housing, and gardening
http://www.stokesbirdsathome.com/birding
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service intends no
endorsement and cannot guarantee the
accuracy of information found on these web
sites.
51
Books
Web Sites
Disclaimer
http://birds.fws.gov
March 2001
Revised